Suction cleaner



Jan. 8, 1952 0. G. SMELLIE sugTIou CLEANER Filed Apri] .,5, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

G. Smell ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 8, 1952 Donald G. Smellie, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton,hio,.a corporation ofOhio Application- April 5, 1947, Serial No. 739,593

Claims. (01. 183-58) The present invention relates to suctioncleaners ingeneral and more particularly to new and improved filter-shakingmechanism which provides a storage support for the cleaner and is normally maintained in an inoperative filtershaking position.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved suction cleaner having a -filtershakingmechanism. Another object is to provide a filter-shaking mechanism which forms a support for storing the cleaner. A further object is to provide a suction cleaner having means to support the operator while actuating the filtershaking mechanism. Another object is to provide a filter-shaking mechanism which is normally locked to prevent accidental operation thereof and provide a storage support for the cleaner; Still another object is to provide a filter-shaking mechanism which is controlled by the removable-attachment of. a cover for the cleaner casing. And still another object isto provide a filter-shaking mechanism which forms a, latch for attaching a cover to the cleaner casing. Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, partly in elevation, of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of .part of the filtershaking mechanism;

Figure 3 is an elevational view 'of the cleaner in storage position. v

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises an elongated casing l0 closed at its exhaust end by a cap ll having an outlet opening l2, and the suction end of the casing is closed by a cap |3 provided with an inlet open- .ing l4. Each of the openings l2 and M are adapted to receive one end of an unshownhose which is provided at its opposite end with a surface cleaning tool in a manner well known in the art. The casing is supported on a pair of runners |5 to enable the operator to pull the cleaner over the supporting surface by means of a force exerted through the unshown hose attached to either of the end caps II or I3. Provided at the top of the cleaner casing I0 is a handle I6.

Within the casing I9 is a motor-fan unit i1 of the motor-fan unit while the open end of the bag is secured to an annular flange 28 projecting inwardly from an end wall 29 which is secured to the casing, and the annular flange 28 defines an opening 39 to the filter bag 25. The bag opening 39 is closed by the end cap l3 which is removably-attached to the casing H] by a lip 3| on the end cap seating in a bracket 32 mounted on the casing, and a latch 33 secured to the casing l9 cooperates with the end cap I3 to force the latter against theend wall 29 of the casing l0 while a seal 34 prevents leakage of air therebetween.

- The end wall 21 of the filter bag is supported on a circular frame 36 secured to a substantially U-shaped bracket 3'! terminating in arms 33 and 39' extending along the cylindrical wall 26 of the bag 25. A U-shaped lever 49 has its arms 4| and 42 pivotally supported at their lower'ends on a rod 43 mounted in a frame 44 secured to the casing l0, and the arms 4| and 42 are respectively pivoted at their upper ends to the bracket arms 38 and 39. A link 45 is pivotally connected to the bracket arm 39 and the frame 44' and is the same length as lever arm 42. so that upon pivotal movement of the lever the end wall 2'! of the bag 25 will at all times'move in a plane parallel to the casing front wall 29 and to the open end 30 of the bag. Arranged about the rod 43 are a pair of torsion springs 46 having one of their ends 4'! resting against the frame 44 and their opposite ends 48 abut lugs 49 on the frame 44 to at all times urge the link 45,

the lever arms 4| and 42 and the bracket 31 rearwardly within the casing I0 to draw the bag 25 taut.

The filter-shaking mechanism comprises a U-shaped connecting member 50, the opposite ends 5|-5l of which are connected to the lever arms 4| and 42 and has its center portion 52 adapted to engage the vertical and inclined faces 53 and 54 of an engaging member 55. A torsion spring 69 is arranged about each pivoted end of the connecting member and operates to at all times urge the center portion 52 of the member 50 into sliding engagement with the inclined surface 6| of a guide member 62.

The guide member 62 is disposed centrally below .-the;-fl1ter-. bag 25,;and has its inclined top wall 6| merging into a flat wall 63 and is provided with a plurality of lugs 65 which are atbag shaking mechanism. A spring is disposed about the rod 58 between aastationarTwalljS and a member 56 rigidly attahd' totlierdd 68 and tends to at all times force the latter to the left as viewed in Figure 1. The bag shaking red 68 is supported bytthe wall 69, bulkheadsJfl and 22 and extends outwardly beyond the endcap'fl and terminates in a handle {1.2.

The end cap n is providedwvith' afiiati'snrface shaking handle 12 lies in the same pIane aSY the fiat surface 13 of the {end cap ll so that the handle 12 and the surface ,l3tpf -the-iendscap cooperate to provide 'a suppcrt for the cleaner when .-.upended to the storage; position rshown in Figure 3. -,Formed in theend cap I I is; a handle 16- and a rportionef the end-capis rrecessed at "H to ;provide for the entrance of the ipfiratorjs finger to -grasp the handle .16 and thus forma convenient-handle ifor -,car ryin g: the cleanerifrom -placeto place. -In addition, thehandle lfilaicts gas'asupportifor the gaperator whenith e' bag-.shak- .ing-irocl 68 is: manipulatedbythe han'dle 12.

eIniorder to prevent inadvertent ,qpe'ra'tiont of ethe bag .-shaking Imechanism I and {to iorm the elatterginytoafrig-id storage support'forthee cleaner,

{a lock-ingmeans has been providedf and e includes 1 a:-l eve r 18 pivotally mounted upon a ushaped :bracket -iQ secured :to the cleaner casing I hadiiecentstosfront end cap l3. .-;One end scrofetne lever :18 .-is:adapted;to engagethe end-rel ef the :nageshaking p n er ;;and th pn q it an of --l7h $1 r18"i providedrwit an2- nclin dsur ae rSQewhich; engagesgajcorrespondingly inclinedg suriace 183i0rmed on;.a member -8, 1integralwith the asuction Jend cap 5' l3, A- spring. 85 :mcunted upon the. lever 1.8 tendssatra aztimes tormovet e eve in aclockwise direction as'viewe d in jtigural, iso @that when the eendecap l 3 is removed ;f ro rn ctheicleanerrpasing l 0 the 1 lever :18 -rrnoves- ,out-;. 0f -engagement form -.the rod 68 'wherebysth i-l t smayithen ;be: actuated:toI-operate the bagfihak n rmchanism. When ;thet-end;.,cap 1 l 3 is attached etc the casingnlflthetiinclined surface .33 :ensase the' 'surfaceitz on the lever 183170 pivot thevlatter -'co1inter clockwise and 'thus :move the z-extreme end iiil against the end? 8| f the bag shaking i plunger. 68 to thereby rigidly lock the latter in position.

Whenthe suction cleaneris employed for-norn'ial 1 surface "cleaning, the 'motcr ian unit rl '1 "draws the dirt la'deri a ir through asuitable cleanin'g tool connected to inlet-zport I4 into 'the ifilter bag which removes the dirt from the a-imarid the clearied air pa'sses outwardly through the f the :bag and thence through; thea final 'rhereafter the cleaned 'air -entersathe fan ch nib'e nd is exhausted tnrcugniports'wt iri' tnereaesuikneau e 2 and is" dis chargedithrough L tlie fitlet l2 into'- the atmosphere.

Diii'ing' this nermai surraeemeanin operation, the er'id 69,13 T3 iS 2Ittahd to tlie 'clanr Casing, nenso attaehed fierce lie locking lever is f tlie bag into engagement' with 'tlie end l shakingplunger 68 to- 'rigidly l'0c '-that it an 'nt' heiactuated toebp 'te' f he' 'bag snefiis meenezssin. flfter the pperater c'em- 4 pletes the desired surface cleaning, the cleaner can be upended into storage position as shown in Figure 3, and the cleaner is so supported by the fiat area 13 on the end cap H and also by the handle 12 on the bag shaking plunger 68, and the latter is rigid with respect to the casing l0 since the locking lever 18 is abutting the bag ishakine pl gercta twhe'n it is desired toa ren'iove the dirti'accumulated in the filter bag 25 the suction end cap I3 313 removed by manipulating the latch 33, and upon. removal of the cap l3 the cam surfaces 82 "ahd""8'3'"are disengaged permitting the spring 85 :to rctate the lockinglever I8 clockwise as viewed infitgflte 11 whereby the end 80 of the lever I8 is moved outzofeabutting relation with the end Bl ,oi the bag shaking plunger 68, to permit the latter 'to"bereciprocated. The cleaner casing is then u-pended into a filter cleaning position so that the end wall 29 lies flush upon a supporting .s iria ewh ch i preierablyqpro id d with p p r or. the

s ke"iergxeeeivin itneid rt tome {removed from tliei bagi25. v I

'lioldislddgethe, 'dirtifr'o'm' the'ba'g; the operator ,g sas ps ithef'haridle "1,2 and Xerts a downward fdrce thereon to "moi/e the engaging imemb'er iifi towards the ,front end wall 29 jof" the"cajs'ing and tense the portion. 52 "(if the" connectingfmember 5]] to slide f along "the inclined surface "6| ,ian'd efiect'"moveirient ofth'efbagi' siipporting aiimstfl-l, "42, the i nkfss "an the bracket 31 attached'to e1 'jedfend .W'a'lffi Ofithe bagfZS. jAsjaresult .4 io imefi b 't i' b 5 1 ee i n Wall '12,? ofjthe "bag 2 5 is "collapsed towards the front" end bfjthe cleaner casing against the-force ,eiiertefdiby the torsion springs lfifand duefto-tlie Tia ne ment'id h ii rm 1 2 m i 55 the reafrerid :Wall '21 fofthe" bagy'is collapsed "infplanes "which are parallel to "the front end wall?" 9 of" the cleaner jcasin'g. li l iizirrco1nt'inueii fil entg the en aging memberissi the porjtion 52 bf?the jyokei moves along" the inclined "ramp 6 untilipthe-'surface-W -m0'V's* i'nto' the flat p'qrtiomt 3- oftheguide' member *6 2 Whe,ifelcy the "portion .52 oi'rthe' -yoke 5a is disengag'ed frorn t'he is engaging member '55 p and thereafter 'tlie torsion springs 146 jerk the bag -1f,ame 31 'iair-ifd -tl-1e end "we-11'- 21 *of the'bag 'baclftd their '0 'gina pesition in Whichthba'g 'is taut. 'This abi iipt' vibratioh of the bag effectsthe dislocation of the adhering *50 fie'ign material which thieiipon falls 'do'wnwardly through the bag opening-' 3fl in the casing nd wall 2 9-ento the underlyingsupporting surface or the paper placed thereupon to -receive fjthe jdislodged' dirt. When the operator remcives 55 {his-hand fronithe'handle i 2 the spring 1 i} returns the handle --'l2*to= bag shakingypositionpand the eperator exerts *another downward force tupcn the 'handle =1 2' and again collapses-the; bagtoedis- I lo'dge" further dirt' therefrom, and ithis operation --'is-=eentinuea until the bag has' been --''cleaned. V During 'reciprocatio'n of the fahandle 12 Lathe "--'operator grasps the fixed handlefa theaaend eap to suppei't his Weight -and thusAtheuh mile 16 formsa suppert for the operator whilezshek sis es -actuating the bag shakingeniecl'ianism.

v --=Aftr -the 'bag has beenflcleaned the; operator tilts the cleanerto its horizontal p'ositio" :and replaces the 'e'iid cap? I39 and as'theeeridr capz tii is attached to the casing l0 the'inclined surfaces 1 82 and 83 contact l eachrother and: cause the l'ecki'ng lever l8 ito be pivoted counteiteclockvise* a viewed intliigure 1i toameve: thei end 2 'of tlie lever lfliagainst ithe endii8l of thesibag isiiaking rod fli to tlierebyirigidly lack 5th p, atter J 7 'imiep'esitien'. .Wlieni the shag; shaking rodsfifizisgso locked, the handle 12 and the fiat surface 13 of the end cap ll cooperate to provide a surface for supporting the cleaner in upended storage position as shown in Figure 3.

I claim:

1. A suction cleaner comprising a casing having a normally closed end and an open end, a removable cover for closing said open end, a filter in said casing communicating with said open end for removal of material dislodged from said filter, filter shaking means connected with said filter and including an operating handle disposed at said casing closed end, means movably mounting said handle on said casing for movement with respect to said closed end to actuate said filter shaking means, latch means for locking said operating handle with respect to said closed end in inoperative filter shaking position, support means at said closed end cooperating with said operating handle when in said locked inoperative position to form a support for supporting said casing thereon in upended cleaner storage position, and means for releasing said latch means and thus said operating handle for said movement of the latter to actuate said filter shaking means.

2. A suction cleaner according to claim 1 in which said latch means in controlled by removable attachment of said cover, said cover when attached locking said handle in its said inoperative position to support said casing in storage position and when removed releasing said latch means and thus said handle for said movement of the latter to actuate said filter shaking means.

3. A suction cleaner according to claim 1 in which said shaker operating handle is mounted on said casing for reciprocating movement in actuating said filter shaking means.

4. A suction cleaner comprising a casing having a normally closed end and an open end, a removable cover for closing said open end, a filter in said casing communicating with said open end for removal of material dislodged from said filter, filter shaking means connected with said filter and including an operating handle disposed at said casing closed end, means movably mounting said handle on said casing for movement with respect to said closed end to actuate said filter shaking means, support means on said casing closed end for supporting said casing thereon in upended cleaner storage position, and means to position said operating handle in the plane of said support means to assist the latter in supporting said casing thereon in said cleaner storage position.

5. A suction cleaner comprising a casing having a normally closed end and an open end, a removable cover for closing said open end, a cleaner carrying handle rigidly mounted at said closed end, a filter in said casing communicating with said open end for removal of material dislodged from said filter, filter shaking means connected with said filter and including a movable operating handle disposed at said closed and adjacent said cleaner carrying handle when in inoperative position, means movably mounting said operating handle on said casing for movement with respect to said carrying handle to actuate said filter shaking means, and means connected with said filter shaking means to position said operating handle in said inoperative position adjacent said carrying handle to provide a support therewith for supporting the casing thereon in upended cleaner storage position.

DONALD G. SMELLIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,738,249 Jordahl Dec. 3, 1929 2,077,572 Lofgren Apr. 20, 1937 2,226,630 McCord Dec. 31, 1940 2,304,309 Leathers Dec. 8, 1942 2,410,302 Penn Oct. 29, 1946 2,414,564 Silverman et a1. Jan. 21, 1947 2,498,102 White Feb. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 700,388 Germany Nov. 21, 1940 

